The Crafty Cook in High Heels

Feeling Crafty...

2010-03-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

I come from a long line of quilters. Both of my great-grandmothers were excellent, and passed along at the very least an interest to all the women of my family. My grandmother has become quite excellent herself at this skill. I'm just beginning to try my hand at it, but I'm already hooked for life!

Last Christmas, I made this quilt for my "special man-friend" who is a die-hard Nebraska Huskers fan. I think it turned out pretty good if I say so myself!

This quilt is made out of old Nebraska T-shirts. I was so lucky to come into contact with a mother of 4 sons in Lincoln, NE...all of whom attended the University of Nebraska. She had hundreds of old t-shirts, and I was very grateful she sent me a few. I simply picked out a few that I liked, cut them into 12 inch square and sewed them together. I used 1/2 inch batting for the middle, so it's nice and comfy. For the back, I just used simple black cotton, and folded it it over on the front for a border. Being the second quilt I've ever made, I can already see ways that I will improve the next one. I can't wait to give it a try again!

Hey Everyone! It's a Blog Party!

2010-03-26T10:52:00.001-05:00

Why not?? :-)

It's What's For Breakfast??

2010-03-26T09:43:00.000-05:00

I know we frequently go over what to do for dinner...but we can't forget about the most important meal of the day! Breakfast! Here you see a picture of my breakfast this very morning.

Breakfast Tacos. Enjoy. :)

2 corn tortillas
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup part-skim low-fat cheddar cheese
2 slices turkey bacon
a couple tablespoons of your favorite salsa ( I like Joe T. Garcia's.)

In a skillet on medium heat, cook turkey bacon until crispy and let drain on a paper towel. Add egg substitute and scramble. Now for the taco assemblage. Begin with your corn tortillas, place eggs and cheese, then put in the microwave for 10-15 seconds just to melt the cheese a bit. Add bacon and salsa, and you got it...Enjoy. :)

Low- Fat Cranberry Orange Scones

2010-03-26T09:12:00.000-05:00

This is such a copycat recipe from Starbucks. I love having a warm cranberry-orange scone with my coffee in the morning. BUT...let's face it, not only do the calories add up if you do that every morning, but it adds up in your budget, as well. I made a low-fat, low-cost version that you can keep on hand for your morning treat!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
cooking spray
1 egg white
1 tsp orange juice.
1 tsp powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, or 2 knives will work until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Mix in cranberries and orange zest. Add buttermilk and egg, and stir until moist.

Lightly flour a large, flat surface. Turn dough out, and knead until smooth. Transfer the dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and shape into a 7 inch circle. Cut into 10 wedges. (Do not separate the wedges, just cut to the bottom of the dough, but not through it.) In a small bowl, mix egg white and orange juice, and brush on top of each scone for a beautiful color.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack, and sift powdered sugar over the top! Enjoy!

**These lovely scones only have 169 calories and 3 grams of fat per serving!

German Potato Salad

2010-03-25T11:54:00.000-05:00

Perfect recipe for potato salad! I much prefer this version to the usual mayo/mustard potato salad, and this one keeps much better at a barbecue!

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 slices bacon (pancetta works great as well, but don't use as much because it is saltier.)
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1.5 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 Tbsp. celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, cook until tender but still firm, about 12 minutes. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over a medium-high heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel, and crumble bacon. Reserve bacon fat. Add flour, sugar, water and vinegar to the reserved bacon fat and mix with a whisk until dressing is thickened. Add all other ingredients including potatoes and bacon to the mixture. Mix well, serve, and enjoy!

Potato Pancakes

2010-03-25T11:47:00.000-05:00

What Southern girl with a German heritage wouldn't make potato pancakes? Maybe this is slightly more German, but they sure are tasty. I like to serve them with smoked sausage!

2 pounds shredded potatoes (I'm so not above buying shredded potatoes from the freezer section. It will save you so much time!)
1 medium yellow onion
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups Bisquick
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a food processor, or with a grater, grate the onions. Mix with the shredded potatoes in a large bowl. Add eggs, pancake mix, salt and pepper. Combine well. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and spoon potato mixture into pan. Flatten slightly with a spatula, and cook as you would normally cook pancakes, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Recipe for a Happy Day

2010-03-25T10:29:00.000-05:00

I found this on the very last page of the Palacios Historical Cookbook.

Enjoy....everyday. :)

1 cup friendly words
2 cups of understanding
4 heaping teaspoons of time and patience
Pinch of warm personality
dash of humor

Measure words carefully. Add heaping cups of understanding; use generous amounts of time and patience. Cook with gas on front burner. Keep temperature at a steady level, do not boil over! Add dash of humor and warm personality. Season to taste with the spice of life! Serve in individual molds and enjoy each for what they are. To be served daily with a smile.

Stuffed Red Snapper

2010-03-25T10:02:00.000-05:00

Well, this recipe is for my Daddy. He used to tell me stories about going deep sea fishing off the coast of Galveston with his Dad and his grandpa when he was a young-man. He'd tell me about my grandpa always making sure there was enough cheese, salami and crackers for the trip....oh, and beer. Did I mention the beer? I'm sure there is nothing like a cold Beck's beer while you are 50 miles out in the golf surrounded by water and my grandpa's large stash of cheese. Anyway, for he and my grandpa, their favorite catch was Red Snapper. I remember going to Galveston with my Dad years later and having a dish very similar to this at what used to be one of the greatest seafood restaurants of all time (in my limited opinion), Gaido's. Enjoy this little taste of the Gulf!

1 (7-10lb) fresh caught red snapper
2 cups rice
1 small can shrimp, drain liquid
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stems celery, chopped
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. liquid crab boil
1 tsp. red hot sauce ( I like Frank's)
1 small can crabmeat, drain liquid
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch green onions
1 red bell pepper, chopped
a couple of tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
2 large cans tomato sauce
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 cups red wine (don't cook with it if you wouldn't drink it!)

Marinate red snapper in red wine and lemon juice. While marinating, saute onion, celery, and parsley in oil. Add salt, hot sauce, crab boil and worcestershire sauce. Stir in tomato sauce, and let simmer on a low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Set aside 1 cup of mixture. To remainder, add crabmeat and shrimp and let simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Mix seafood mixture with cooked rice. Stuff dressing into fish, filling body cavity. Bake at 300 degrees for 75 minutes, and pour tomato mixture over the fish and bake uncovered for last 15 minutes. This may seem like a long time to cook, but it will be moist and delicious!

Matagorda Bay Shrimp

2010-03-25T09:46:00.000-05:00

How I love going through these old family cookbooks! What a treat, all of these tastes from my childhood! I can't wait to start making these recipes again. There is no doubt that people from Southeast Texas love their seafood! Every old cookbook I find seems to have thousands of mouth-watering seafood recipes! This recipe from Matagorda Bay Shrimp comes from a very old cookbook from my great-grandmother's hometown of Palacios just off the South Texas coast.

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. peeled and cleaned raw shrimp
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
3 cups cooked white rice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a large black iron pot, or a dutch oven, cook onions and garlic in oil until tender, yet still slightly crisp. Add shrimp, tomato sauce, white wine, mushrooms, green peppers, and parsley. Simmer 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink and vegetables are tender. Serve over fluffy rice!

Better than Sex Cake

2010-03-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

I love going through old family recipe books. I found this one in the St. Augustine Presbyterian Women's Cookbook. My family is from deep East Texas, and we are about as charmingly Southern as they come. And by charming, you can take that to mean eccentric, at times nosey, fun-loving, all around good people. This lovely gem of a cookbook I found was published in April 1961. Maybe these women weren't have the kind of sex that could out-perform a cake, or this cake really is that good. I digress.....

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

1 box yellow cake mix
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 cup white sugar
1 pkg. vanilla pudding, prepared according to package directions
2 cups whipped cream (use the real stuff please)
Flaked coconut (even better toasted!)
Chopped pecans (if desired)

Mix and back cake in a 13 x9 pan according to the package directions. Bring undrained pineapple and sugar to a boil, then let cool a little. When baked cake has cooled, poke holes in it with a fork and pour pineapple mixture over it. Spread prepared pudding over the top of the pineapple layer. Refrigerate for at least two hours, but overnight is fine. Before serving, cover cake with whipped cream and top with toasted coconut and chopped pecans!

Maybe it is better than sex! Nah.....but it's still a good cake!

White Chicken Chili

2010-03-18T08:38:00.000-05:00

Mmmm...Mmmm...Good. Perfect for a cool Spring night after a baseball game! You can use a slow cooker for this recipe, and it turns out just as good!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can diced jalapeno peppers
1 can chopped green chile peppers
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cans chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
3 cans white beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (For Garnish)

Sour cream, for garnish

blue corn tortilla strips, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This is where you can throw it in the slow cooker for about 2 hours on high and have a DELICIOUS easy meal when you get home!)

Remove the mixture from heat. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted, and garnish with your cilantro, tortilla chips and sour cream. Serve warm.

Olive Garden's San Remo Seafood Dip

2010-03-18T08:25:00.000-05:00

This came directly from Olive Garden...I had nothing to do with inventing this recipe, but I've made it many times. I'm always getting requests to make it, so here's the recipe!!

Ingredients:
1 can tiny shrimp - (6 oz) -- drained, and
liquid reserved
1 can crab meat - (6 oz) -- drained, and
liquid reserved
2 ounces cream cheese -- cubed, softened
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half - (3/4)
1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
= (Barilla, drained of excess liquid)
1/4 cup finely-shredded fresh Parmesan Cheese -- for topping

Directions:
In a 2-quart sauce pan on medium-low temperature heat olive oil and blend in flour. Add to flour liquids that were reserve from the shrimp and crab, stir well. To sauce add cubed cream cheese, salt, crushed garlic, horseradish, and stir until smooth. Add Asiago and Parmesan cheeses and stir until smooth.

When the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth add shrimp and crab, blend well. Let simmer until heated through. Finally add half-and-half a little at a time until the seafood sauce starts to simmer and begins to resemble warm pudding. Let sauce simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Stir sauce so it will not scorch on bottom. In a shallow 9-inch diameter baking dish, spray with non stick spray and place drained marinara sauce and carefully spoon seafood sauce on top. Sprinkle with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and place in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Dip should not brown on top.

For the bread, I have found if you get a large baguette, slice diagonally at about 1/2-3/4 inch slices, dust with parmesan cheese (and maybe chopped parsley if you want to get fancy) , and bake in the oven the last 6-7 minutes with the dip, you'll have perfect little dippers for this fabulous dip!

Late Night Pasta

2010-03-18T08:17:00.000-05:00

This has to be one of my favorite late-night recipes when you have nothing else in your pantry and you are starving! It's a quick fix, and it is so filling! Perfect for those late night hunger pains!

1 pound spaghetti
4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, as desired

Bring a large heavy pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring to separate the strands, until the pasta is al dente, 7 to 8 minutes for dry pasta. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the garlic, shallots, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring, until fragrant and the garlic is soft but not brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg and reserved pasta cooking water, stirring quickly until the mixture thickens, but the egg does not scramble.

Divide the spaghetti among plates or large shallow bowls, sprinkle cheese to taste over the top of each serving, and serve immediately.

YUM DELISH!

Guacamole...enough said.

2010-03-08T17:07:00.000-06:00

I make no secret of my deep love for avocados. I love them almost as much as I love cheese, and that is saying quite a bit. Now put those two things together, and that must be close to what they serve in Heaven. Anyway, here is my personal recipe for guacamole. It's not much different from your average guac recipe. But hey, if it ain't broke...don't fix it!!

2 ripe Haas avocados
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice from 1 lemon
salt, to taste
1 roma tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)

In a bowl, mash your avocados with a fork, and combine with garlic, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Finish off with lemon juice and salt.

Serve with tortilla chips, or with fajitas, or whatever you like! Add the jalapeno for extra spice!

Grilled Chicken Pesto Paninis

2010-03-04T12:38:00.000-06:00

I'll go ahead and warn you now...breath mints are going to be necessary after this dish. But oh, how they are worth the intense garlic mouth.

2 chicken breasts, sliced in half and grilled with salt and peppa

8 slices crusty italian bread

1/2 cup prepared basil pesto

2 roma tomatoes, sliced (sundried tomatoes are good for this as well)

1 cup baby arugula

4 slices provolone cheese

Assemble sandwiches by placing chicken breasts, pesto, tomatoes, arugula, and provolone cheese on crusty bread. Place all in panini grill until cheese melts and grill marks are seen on bread. If you don't have a panini grill, get creative. Use a skillet with a teensy bit of oil or butter and saute both sides of each sandwich, or use a cast iron skillet and smoosh the heck out of it by placing something heavy on top and letting it cook that way.

Apple, Brie and Walnut Salad

2010-03-04T12:33:00.000-06:00

This dish is great to serve at dinner parties, or even as a light lunch when a couple of girlfriends come over! I can't even express to you just how simple this is, and it won't even take you ten minutes, and you will get the "WOW" face from everyone when you serve it!

2 red apples, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
3 cups spring mix salad greens
1/2 cup sliced Brie cheese
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces

Toss the apple slices with the vinaigrette in a bowl until evenly coated; add the greens and toss again; top with the Brie and walnuts just before serving.

Best Enchiladas Ever!

2010-03-04T12:26:00.000-06:00

Not too much to say about this delicious supper, except simple and delicious! A regular favorite in these parts! Freezes well, too!

1 lb. diced chicken breast meat (Can also use meat pulled from rotisserie chicken)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, reduced fat
1 1/4 cups low-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 reduced-fat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas depending on your taste)
3 cups part-skim Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can sliced black olives
Place the chicken in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken pieces are no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Shred chicken by placing two forks back to back and pulling meat apart, unless using already shredded meat. Set the shredded chicken aside. Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion, and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

My "OMG This is GOOD" Bolognese Sauce

2010-03-03T12:21:00.000-06:00

For most of us, spaghetti sauce was probably one of the first things we can remember eating, and more than likely one of the first things we learned to cook on our own. It's easy and it's tasty! This is what I've come up with after making it for years and adding a little something new each time!

2-3 tablespoons real butter (Don't ever use the fake stuff, that just pisses me off.)
1 lb ground beef, use 85/15
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 small mixed red and yellow peppers, sliced very thin
1 tbsp fennel seed
1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
3/4 pound mushrooms of your choice. I use porcini.
salt and peppa
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 jar Classico Mushroom and Olive spaghetti sauce
2 glasses of your favorite red wine

In a saute pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and throw in your ground beef and onion on medium-high heat. Yes, ground beef before veggies. That's just how I roll. Let that cook down until the beef is brown and it really absorbs the flavor of the butter. I let it cook a little longer than I normally do for ground beef, because I really want it to take on that good flavor. Now, push the meat to the edges of the pan, forming an open circle in the middle of the pan. Make a meat donut in your pan, basically. Then, add the other tbsp of butter, let melt, then add your mushrooms. Make sure you salt and pepper them. Don't mix them with the meat yet, but let them do the same thing and get that good flavor of the butter. Once those have browned, mix the meat and the mushrooms together in the pan. Add your sliced peppers to the mix with the fennel seed, oregano, and thyme. Combine and let those cook for about 3-4 minutes. Next, add your spaghetti sauce, bay leaf and olives.. Take your bottle of wine, pour one glass into your sauce, set the heat on low and let simmer for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. The longer you cook it the better. The other glass is for you to enjoy! You just made awesome bolognese sauce! Enjoy a glass or two...or three!

Once you've decided your sauce is ready, take out the bay leaf serve it over fettuccine or your favorite noodle with a good crusty bread and a salad. Trust me, the first words out of your mouth will be "OMG...this is good!"

You won't believe it's Low-Fat Taco Salad

2010-03-03T07:46:00.000-06:00

I'm a sucker for a good taco. Even as a kid, my favorite place to go was Taco Bell. I'd get the Pintos and Cheese, and have to sniff the bag on the way home. Yeah, maybe that is a little strange. Anyway, over the years, my tastes have progressed beyond the Pintos N' Cheese, and I've found a tasty rendition of classic taco salad that is good for you!

For the Meat:
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, you can throw in more if you are up for some heat
1/3 cup water
For the dressing:
4 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup grated Cheddar, part skim
2 ounces baked corn tortilla chips, crumbled

To prepare the meat, heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally and breaking the meat up with the spoon. Add the garlic and beans and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the chili powder, cayenne and water and stir until well combined and some but not all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Meat mixture may be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To make the tomato dressing, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes (with their juices), oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Dressing may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Place 2 cups of lettuce on each plate or in a lunch container. Top each serving with 1 cup of the beef mixture then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. If making to-go, pack 3/4 cup of the tomato mixture in a separate sealable container and put about 8 chips in a separate bag. Right before eating, pour a portion of the tomato mixture with the liquid on top of each salad, and crush tortilla chips on top.

**Nutrition Facts: Total Calories: 430 Total Fat: 8 grams Protein 29 g; Carb 36 g; Fiber 9 g; Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 770 mg

**These facts are not tested in a laboratory. They are based upon my calculations through nutritional calculators.

Spicy Garlic Chile Green Beans

2010-03-02T10:14:00.000-06:00

These delectable little treats are great for a side dish, or just to snack on! Make sure to use fresh green beans from your produce section!

* 1/2 lb fresh green beans
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 slices bacon
* 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
* 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Rinse the green beans thoroughly, and be sure to snap off the ends and discard. If you like, before you saute them, you can keep the green beans in ice cold water to enhance their crispiness, but make sure they are dry before you put them in hot oil! In a saute pan, cook bacon until crispy and reserve grease in the pan. Set bacon aside on a paper towel to drain fat, and crumble when it cools. Turn down the heat on the pan to medium, make sure the bacon fat is ready to go, but not so hot that it is smoking. Throw in green beans, let cook in the bacon fat for about 2-3 minutes. When skin starts to brown slightly, add garlic, soy sauce and red pepper. Let saute for another minute or so and serve!

Goes great with San Francisco Pork Chops!

San Francisco Pork Chops

2010-03-02T08:04:00.000-06:00

By no means did my family invent this recipe, but my mother was the first to make it for me...and this is always one of my special requests for her! This hearty meal can be done with pork, chicken, and probably even does well will shrimp or scallops!

*4 pork chops; 1/2-3/4" thick

* 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

* 1 clove garlic, minced

Sauce:

*2 tsp. oil

*8 Tbsp. dry sherry or chicken broth

*8 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

* 3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

*1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

*2 tsp cornstarch

*2 Tbsp. cold water

Trim pork chops of fat. Heat oil, brown chops on both sides. Remove chops and set aside. Add more oil to pan if needed, but not too much. Saute' garlic for just a minute, being careful not to burn it. In a separate bowl, combine oil, sherry (or broth), soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper. Place chops back in skillet, pour sauce over and cover tightly. Turn heat down to a low simmer, and let sit for 30-35 minute. Add a little water as needed.

*Recipe Variation: Use this same recipe, but omit the crushed red pepper and use apple juice instead of soy sauce! Delish!!!

This recipes goes great served over garlic mashed potatoes or even whole wheat pasta! Sauteed green beans are a great side!

Donna's Delicious Baked Ravioli

2010-03-01T14:44:00.001-06:00

My favorite ex-sister-in-law, Donna, turned me on to this wonderful recipe. She invited me over one night for a casual dinner, and this recipe has been a favorite of mine ever since. It also feeds a ton of people, so be prepared for lots of leftovers or invite over some friends to enjoy this with you!

* 1 package frozen ravioli (Donna recommends Chicken and Mozzerella)
* 1 cup low-fat Italian dressing
*1 can stewed diced tomatoes
* 1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
* 1 package low-fat part skim mozzerella cheese

In a 13x9 glass baking dish, mix Italian dressing, tomatoes and sauce and blend together. Pour in the ravioli, and make sure they are submerged. Top with a healthy helping of cheese. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Take foil off and put in another 10 minutes until bubbly. Serve with a nice green salad and you have a restaurant quality meal!

Greek Chicken Pita with Babaghanoush

2010-03-01T11:13:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things to do is try new foods, and play around with the different tastes and come up with quick and easy recipes! A few years ago, I was introduced to Greek food, and I have loved it ever since! I don't know anyone who doesn't love a Greek salad, and one of my FAVORITE Greek dishes is Babaghanoush. Maybe I just love saying it, who knows...but either way...this little concoction is super quick and delicious!!

* 4 pieces pita bread (get the nice soft, thick kind. I've found that naan even works well)

* 2 large chicken breasts

* 1 tsp oregano

*1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

* juice of 1 lemon

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*1 head romaine lettuce

*1 seedless cucumber

* 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

*3/4 cup feta cheese

*olive oil for drizzling

*1/4 cup red wine vinegar

*1/2 cup packaged Babaghanoush (in refrigerated section next to hummus)

* salt and peppa

Sprinkle chicken breasts with crushed red pepper and oregano. Drizzle some olive oil over a hot grill, and grill up those puppies until cooked all the way through. While those are cooking, get your salad together. Cut up your lettuce, tomatoes, olives and cucumber, and set aside in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together your minced garlic, salt and pepper, red wine vinegar, and let's say 1/4 cup of olive oil, but you can eyeball it, as well as the lemon juice. Now it's time to assemble the finished product!

Take each pita, and spread with 1-2 tablespoons of babaghanoush. Slice or dice your chicken breasts and mix them with your salad, and toss all with the dressing you made earlier. Place the salad and chicken on top of your pita bread and babaghanoush and serve! Yummy!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

2010-03-01T10:16:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I love these tacos. One of my favorite places to eat is a national chain that need not be named, but it was their tasty Pork Carnitas that led me to try to replicate. This comes out pretty close, if I do say so myself!

*1 pork tenderloin
* 1 can rotel
*1 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
*1/2 cup chopped cilantro
*3/4 cup chicken broth
* salt and pepper to taste
*corn tortillas
* pico de gallo (just chop up roma tomatoes, red onion, jalepeno and cilantro)

Here's another slow-cooker recipe. That little invention sure has turned out to be most useful. In the morning, put a pork tenderloin in your crockpot. You may want to put a couple of holes in it, it's up to you. Sometimes I'll put a few slits in it and stuff a garlic clove in each one just for fun. (If you do that, lay off the garlic powder.) Add the can of rotel and chicken broth, and the garlic powder and S&P. Cook on low for 6-8 hours! When you get home that night, break up the pork, it will be so tender at this point, you will only need a fork! Drop in the cilantro to the mix (you don't want that to cook all day, or it will lose the flavor). Warm up those corn tortillas in a paper towel for about 20 seconds in your microwave. Place the pork in the tortillas, the sauce left in your slow cooker makes a pretty good warm salsa, top with pico-de-gallo and your choice of extra fixin's! Delicious and healthy dinner!! Goes great with black beans!

Fiesty Thai Beef Salad

2010-02-28T17:48:00.000-06:00

Let me put it this way...if I got to pick my last meal, this would be it. Sometimes it's so hot that it's almost painful to eat, but if you get it just right this is an incredible dish! You can find most of these ingredients at a regular grocery store, but if you have trouble check out your local Asian grocery.

*1 lb. beef flank steak

Salad:

*1/4 cup sliced onions, separated

*2 tomatoes, wedged

*1/4 cup sliced cucumber

*1/4 cup thinly sliced thai chile peppers

Sauce:

*1/4 cup fish sauce

*1/4 cup lime juice

*1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce

*3 tablespoons minced garlic

*3 tablespoons minced ginger

*3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

*1/4 cup chopped green onions

*1/4 cup chopped shallots

*1 tablespoon sesame oil

*1 tablespoon chili oil

Grill the flank steak, until cooked to your preference ( I think it's best for this at medium). Slice into 1/4 inch strips just before serving. Throw all salad ingredients in a bowl, combine all sauce ingredients, and toss it all together and serve!